Temporary cover for cans.



O. STANKEY.

TEMPORARY COVER FOR CANS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1912.

1,050,809, Patented Ja'n.14,1913.

H jg I J19 n j 165 2 f g 9 J2 6 14 20 jj 42 L Z] 10 0 123 w-vtmmo 5 IwaafJzafikg W @M sew x OSCAR STANKEY, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

TEMPORARY COVER FOR CANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 20, 1912.

Patented J an. 1%,1913.

Serial No. 721,395.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Oscar: STANKEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at East St. Louis, in the county of St. Clair and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TemporaryCovers for Cans, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to temporary covers to close the openings made incondensed milk cans and the like, to prevent dust and germs fromentering the can to sour the milk, and has for its object the provisionof a device of the character described compris ing a cap adapted to beclamped upon the top of the can and having a spring propelled plungerprovided with valves adapted to seat upon the holes made in the can forthe egress of the milk and to vent the can.

My invention will be described in detail hereinafter and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of my improved cover shown inposition on a can; Fig. 2, a horizontal sectional view; and Fig. 3, atop plan view.

In the drawings similar reference charactors will be used to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

A indicates a can of the ordinary structure used for the shipment ofcondensed milk and the like products in which it is customary to formopenings at one of which may be used for pouring the milk from the canand the other for venting the can, and as stated above, my inventioncontemplates the provision of a cover that is adapted to temporarilyclose the openings a when the milk is not being poured from the can.

My improved cover consists of a plate 1 being of substantially the samesize and shape as the top of the can and having a downwardly extendingflange 2 extending around its outer edge with laterally extending lugsor projections 3 that are connected by means of a screw bolt l to beused in tightening the flange on the sides of the can to hold the coverin position. The plate 1 is provided with cut-out portions 5 on oppositesides thereof to seat over the openings a heretofore described to permitthe valves that will be hereinafter described to cover said holes.

Mounted on the central portion of the plate 1 is a tubular casing 6having vertical.

slots 7 on opposite sides thereof. 8 indicates a plunger slidablymounted in said casing 6 and extending above its upper end and securedto the lower terminal of said plunger 8 is a transverse rod 9 having itsterminals provided with downwardly extending portions 10 on which aresecured plates 11 of any suitable material such as rubber to make anair-tight fit with the top of the can A to hermetically seal theopenings a.

12 indicates a coil spring surrounding the plunger 8 within the casing'6 and having its terminals engaging the upper end of said casing 6 andthe cross rod 9 to normally hold the plates 11 in engagement with thetop of the can.

13 indicate ears secured to the plate 1 adjacent to its edge and havingpivotally mounted thereon a bar 1 1 with its upper end bifurcated asshown at 15 to receive a lever 16 that is pivotally secured thereto bymeans of pins 17. One terminal of said lever 16 is pivotally secured tothe plunger S by means of a pin 18, while the other terminal of thelever is bent downwardly as shown at 19 and then on a horizontal planeas shown at 20 and provided with a suitable handle 21.

In operation, it will be understood that after the can A is opened bycutting the holes a therein for the egress of the milk and to vent thecan as heretofore stated, my improved cover is mounted thereon andclamped in position by means of the set screw 4 engaging the lugs 3 onthe flange 2, said cover being so positioned that the openings 5 in theplate 1 are over the openings a in the can and the plates 11' positionedto cover said openings (4. When no pressure is exerted on the handle 21of the lever 16 the coil spring 12 within the casing 6 will normallyhold the plates 11 depressed to that the openings (4 are hermeticallysealed from dirt, germs and the like, and the contents of the can willbe kept from spoiling. 1V hen it is desired to remove some of thecontents of t-he can the handle 21 is depressed, thus lifting theplunger 8 and with it the cross rod 9 having the plates 11 secured toits ends 10 and by tilting the can in one or the other direction, themilk will flow from one of the openings a and the can be vented throughthe other opening a. After extracting some of the contents of the can,the openings a may again be sealed by releasing pressure on the handle21 to permit the plates 11 to engage the top of the can surrounding saidopenings.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. A cover for canscomprising a plate, a flange on the edges of said plate and providedwith means for clamping said flange on a can, said plate having openingstherein, a cylindrical casing mounted on said plate, a. plunger slidahlymounted in said casing, a cross rod secured to the lower terminal ofsaid plunger and extending through slots in the casing, said cross rodhaving its termii'ials formed with downwardly extending portions, valveplates secured to said downwardly extending portions of the cross rod, aspring mounted in said casing and surrounding the plunger, said springhaving its terminals engaging the upper end of the casing and the crossrod aforesaid to normally hold the plunger in its lowermost position,and a lever pivotally secured to said plunger for raising the plungeragainst the resistance of said spring.

2. A cover for cans comprising a plate, a flange on the edges of saidplate and provided with means for clamping said flange on a can, saidplate having openings therein, a cylindrical casing mounted on saidplate, a plunger slidably mounted in said casing, a cross rod secured tothe lower terminal of said plunger and extending through siots in thecasing, said cross rod having its terminals formed with downwardlyextending portions, valve plates secured to said downwardly extendingportions of the cross rod, a spring mounted in said casing andsurrounding the plunger, said spring having its terminals engagin theupper end of the casing and the cross rod aforesaid to normally hold theplunger in its lowermost position, ears mounted on said plate, anupright bar pivotally secured to said cars, a lever pirotally secured tosaid upright bar and pivotallv secured to said plunge-r, said. leverbeing adapted to be operated to raise said plunger against theresistance of said spring.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR STAQKEY. Witnesses ANTHONY J. STOCKER, Jaoon l fnnnna,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

